Marked reduction in gonadal steroid hormone levels in rats treated neonatally with monosodium L-glutamate: further evidence for disruption of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis regulation.
Serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin, estradiol-17 beta and testosterone were determined in adult rats that were treated in the neonatal period with monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) which has previously been shown to reliably produce destruction of arcuate nucleus perikarya. MSG-treated males had significantly smaller accessory sexual organs (seminal vesicles and ventral prostate) and tests and had significantly lower serum concentrations of FSH and testosterone than sex-matched controls. MSG-treated females had significantly lower serum concentrations of LH, FSH and estradiol-17 beta. Prolactin levels of MSG-treated rats were no different than sex-matched controls. This marked reduction in gonadal steroid levels (decreases 68%) and inappropriately low gonadotropin levels further characterizes the deficit of feedback regulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in MSG-treated rats.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005971:Glutamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006066:Gonads / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D012970:Sodium Glutamate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D005971:Glutamates; D006728:Hormones; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D012970:Sodium Glutamate